Differentiation of priority ecosystem services of green infrastructure in Kirovsk (Murmansk region)

Abstract

Various combinations of green infrastructure ecosystem services in Kirovsk (Murmansk Region), which included a city park and squares, are considered. These combinations differ depending on the local geoecological characteristics of green infrastructure elements. The following characteristics were considered: area, position in relief, nature of vegetation cover, surrounding residential areas, location of highways, etc. Depending on the combinations of these characteristics, priority sets of ecosystem services that form a comfortable living environment were determined. The traditional range of ecosystem services was typical only for the city park, where it included not only supporting, regulating, informational, but also provisioning ecosystem services—rare for urban green infrastructure. The identified combinations of ecosystem services were shown on the map. At the same time, the structure of information ecosystem services, which turned out to be among the priorities for most of the studied elements, was presented in detail using indexes. The conducted differentiation of ecosystem services enables to develop priority economic measures to maintain the most important ones that ensure comfortable living. For the city park, they include the largest list of activities: sanitary logging, removal of shrubby undergrowth, laying glades to enhance the aesthetics of landscapes and create viewpoints, laying ecological trails, etc. For small squares in the city center with priority information services, the first measure will be the arrangement of social space—lighting, benches, colorful flower beds, snow removal, etc. For squares with the priority of regulatory services management activities include the selection of wood species with the greatest noise and dust suppressing effect, windproof and anti-erosion functions.